For this year and the years to come, I have two specific goals I want to achieve. First, I want to make my farming sustainable. Second, I plan to pay my bride price. Farming will help me feed my family, and I intend to sell the surplus to start paying off the bride price, which feels like a debt. The thought of achieving this makes me happy because it means I will finally have a family of my own.

GiveDirectly has done an amazing job uplifting the lives of people in my community. What stood out to me the most is their respect for individuals and how they always ask for consent when entering our village and speaking with us on a personal level. Their approach shows that they value our opinions and dignity. I recommend that they continue with their current cash program, as it has been very beneficial for many families, including mine. Their respectful and transparent methods have truly made a positive impact in our lives.

Upon receiving $450 from GiveDirectly, I allocated $200 to purchase a piece of land. Before this, I didn’t own any land and lived on someone else’s property, which meant I couldn’t make any major improvements because it was temporary. Now, I am proud to say I have my land, and I plan to use the subsequent transfers from GiveDirectly to finish paying off the remaining amount. I also used $84 to buy a modern bed and mattress to replace the old ones, which has greatly improved my comfort and sleep. With five children, food is a major priority, so I spent $35 to buy enough food for my family. Before, it was difficult to get food, and we relied on me to find temporary casual labor to provide for us. Lastly, I used $54 to plant maize on one acre of land. This will provide food for my family, as I plan for it to be primarily subsistence farming to address our food security needs. Previously, I could only farm half an acre, but thanks to the support from GiveDirectly, I am now farming a full acre.

After a long and exhausting day on the farm, I was so tired that I collapsed under my favorite tree to rest. There was no one at home to prepare lunch because my wife had gone to a prayer event for one of our neighbor’s children. Just as I was about to doze off, a message popped up on my phone. At first, I thought it was just a regular M-Pesa alert, but the sender was listed as Xegofia Technology Kenya, not GiveDirectly.Curious and a bit doubtful, I decided to visit a nearby center to check if anyone else had received a similar message. To my surprise, the center was buzzing with excitement. People were shouting and laughing joyfully. I joined the celebration, and we all went to a local hotel for tea.When my wife arrived home in the evening, she asked if I had received any money. I told her yes, and we sat down as a family to discuss our plans. I gave her the opportunity to decide how to use the funds, as I believe women are excellent decision-makers. She suggested that we first purchase a solar panel so our children would have light to do their homework.

My parents did not send me to school, so I dropped out in fourth grade. Although their actions crushed my dreams of becoming someone important in the community, I resolved that I would ensure my children receive a top-notch education. Now, thanks to the money from GiveDirectly, they have lights to study as long as they need, and I am deeply thankful for this opportunity. I am also happy and stress-free knowing that once I harvest from my farm, I will be able to buy my own plot of land.

I have been living a stressful life, feeling as if I had no future or valid dreams. About five years ago, I was displaced due to insecurity issues caused by bandits during the Mukutani wars. I had to come here and borrow land just to stay with my family. I have three children and a wife to support and ensure they are well taken care of.When I received this cash, I realized it wasn’t enough to purchase land, so I decided to first invest in planting vegetables, which require less expense. I used $80 for this investment, hoping that the income from selling the vegetables will eventually allow me to buy my own land for building a home.Additionally, I used $60 to purchase food, as we had none at home and needed to stock up. This way, I can focus on preparing and planting my farm without constantly worrying about where to get food.Finally, I used the remaining $40 to buy a solar panel. This will provide lighting at home for my children to study, improve security, and allow us to charge our phones at home instead of going to our neighbors.